ICE consists of three directorates to accomplish the agency’s mission, including Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) and Management and Administration (M&A).

ICE executes its mission through the enforcement of more than 400 federal statutes, and focuses on smart immigration enforcement, preventing terrorism and combating the illegal movement of people and trade. (read more)

Learn more about U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including facts about investigations, immigration enforcement and removal operations, and management and administration information. (read more)

To ensure openness and transparency and to better serve those seeking more information about ICE and its operations, the agency centralized processing of all ICE-related Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests in a single office.

Office of Intelligence

HSI's Office of Intelligence develops intelligence on illegal trade, travel and financial activity. It shares this information with field offices and law enforcement partners worldwide.

The office maintains its global awareness through operations that coordinate information throughout HSI and through intelligence exchanges with Department of Homeland Security components. The office also maintains secure data communications throughout ICE. Additionally, the office provides the agency with emergency response plans.

Analysis

The Analysis subdivision leads examinations to support ICE's worldwide investigations. The core of the division's analytic method is the mixture of classified intelligence, law enforcement information and open-source reporting. This blend of information sources plays a vital role in supporting investigations related to illegal trade, travel and finance.

The division's goal is to provide products that identify patterns and threats from criminal activity, help operators arrange their enforcement efforts, identify ways to fix potential vulnerabilities and provide critical intelligence to law enforcement and intelligence partners.

While ICE is the primary user of the division's products, it also works with the Department of Homeland Security, the intelligence community and other law enforcement partners. The Analysis Division is composed of four units:

Illicit Finance Unit provides intelligence focused on the proceeds of organized crime. The unit targets these profits through identifying differences within financial systems and vulnerabilities being exploited by criminal organizations.

Illicit Trade Unit provides intelligence focused on the flow of narcotics and other illegal goods in and out of the United States. Areas of focus include illegal sales, technology transfers and the spread of technology and products that endanger public safety.

Illicit Travel Unit identifies vulnerabilities exploited by criminal organizations and human smuggling and trafficking networks that threaten U.S. national security. The unit also identifies criminal activities and structures.

El Paso Intelligence Center supports law enforcement efforts by sharing intelligence on illegal drugs and criminal alien movements. It also gathers information on the criminal organizations responsible for these activities. The center focuses its efforts within the United States on both sides of the U.S.-Mexico border, across the Caribbean and from other points within the Western Hemisphere.

Collection and Operations

The Collection and Operations subdivision identifies information gaps that influence the global intelligence community. It also helps share time-sensitive information with law enforcement and intelligence partners. The division consists of the following units:

Collection Management Unit oversees collection and reporting operations that result in the tasking of intelligence assets or the creation of tasking requests to collection management authorities. ICE collection managers oversee analytical needs for the Department of Homeland Security. Collection managers also receive requests; research intelligence systems; develop strategies and requests; and track and confirm requirements.

Intelligence Operations Unit oversees all forms of human intelligence gathered through direct contact with recruited assets and persons in ICE custody. Human intelligence operations are different from confidential informant operations. While confidential informant operations are an investigative tool used to gather evidence, human intelligence operations collect information to fill in analytic gaps. The section also oversees media collected during the course of human intelligence operations.

Intelligence Mission Management

The Intelligence Mission Management subdivision coordinates the Office of Intelligence's planning efforts. It also manages the office's contact with field offices and the Department of Homeland Security's Intelligence Enterprise system. The division is comprised of three units:

Training and Professional Development Unit oversees the ICE Basic Intelligence Training Course and helps with professional development opportunities for intelligence professionals.

Partner Engagement and Coordination Unit oversees regional desk officers on duty to the Office of Intelligence. These officers serve as contacts for HSI's Special Agent-in-Charge Intelligence Program and chief intelligence officers.

The unit's Partner Engagement Section directs planning and outreach efforts with the Department of Homeland Security and international partners. The Executive Secretariat Criminal Intelligence Advisory Group and Homeland Security Intelligence Committee are in this section.

The Executive Secretariat Criminal Intelligence Advisory Group consists of law enforcement agencies in the U.S., United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The group's mission is to reduce the threat of global organized crime through information sharing. The Homeland Security Intelligence Committee consists of representatives from intelligence sections in the Department of Homeland Security and serves as the oversight body that supports the department's Chief Intelligence Officer and undersecretary for Intelligence and Analysis.

National Emergency Management

The National Emergency Management subdivision serves as ICE's emergency preparedness director and provides guidance and resources during emergencies. It also oversees ICE's Crisis Action Team during emergencies. Additionally, the subdivision oversees HSI's Continuity of Operations Program, ICE's Rapid Response Team Program and its Anthrax Medical Countermeasures Program. The division consists of the following units and sections:

Operations Coordination, Training and Plans Section manages programs and initiatives critical to Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5, which provides guidance on the management of domestic incidents; and Presidential Policy Directive-8, which requires the development of agendas to protect against threats posing the greatest risk to the security of the United States.

Continuity Section oversees several programs and initiatives that are critical to the execution of Homeland Security Presidential Directive-20, Federal Continuity Directive 1 & 2, and National Communications System Directive 3-10. These include Continuity Plans and Policies, Continuity Facilities and Continuity Communications.

Logistics Section is responsible for the management of ICE's Rapid Response Team program. The section ensures these teams are ready to help law enforcement partners and provide humanitarian support to ICE personnel that have been impacted by significant events. If requested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the section also manages Emergency Support Function-13 assignments.

Operations, Logistics and Preparedness Unit Chief assists the deputy assistant director of National Emergency Management with event management and the creation all-hazards plans. The unit also supports the deputy assistant director with critical documents; reporting management; emergency communications tools; and oversight the ICE Alternate Operating Facility and various other emergency response teams and programs.

Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center

Section 7202 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 formally established the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center and its role as the U.S. government's primary representative for managing issues related to human smuggling, human trafficking and the support of clandestine terrorist travel. The center is responsible for boosting the ability of the federal government to fight these crimes and for working with foreign governments to ensure U.S. efforts have a global impact.

The center leverages the knowledge of federal experts from across multiple agencies and the secretaries of the Department of State and Department of Homeland Security, as well as the U.S. attorney general and select members of the national intelligence community oversee the center. Center operations are funded by ICE and the Department of State's Diplomatic Security. HSI serves as the center's executive agent for budget, human capital and administrative services. Diplomatic Security provides facility and logistical services. View the Human Smuggling and Trafficking Center website for more information.

Patricia F.S. Cogswell

Assistant Director Intelligence

Patricia Cogswell is the assistant director, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), Office of Intelligence. In this capacity, Ms. Cogswell serves as the HSI assistant director of Intelligence and as the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) key intelligence officer.

Ms. Cogswell previously served as the Acting Assistant Secretary for DHS's Office of Policy Integration and Implementation, with responsibility for DHS policy in the areas of counterterrorism; screening; border and immigration; countering chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats; resilience; and transportation (air, marine, surface, and supply chain) security.

Ms. Cogswell served as Acting Deputy Assistant to the President for Homeland Security from June to September 2013, and Special Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Senior Director for Transborder Security Policy from December 2010 to June 2013, both with the National Security Council (NSC) staff. Ms. Cogswell's portfolio at NSC included: Aviation, Maritime, Supply Chain and Surface Transportation; the Arctic Region; Immigration and Visa Security; Border Security and Interior Enforcement; Biometrics, Identity Management, Watchlisting/Screening; Information Sharing and Access; as well as Infectious Disease/Pandemic and other preparedness policy.

Prior to her work with the NSC, Ms. Cogswell served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Office of Policy (Screening Coordination), with responsibility for setting policy and direction in order to harmonize DHS' screening programs and investments. These programs included DHS's immigration reform efforts, those involving screening to identify known or suspected terrorists, and the integration of biometric technologies and capabilities.Following the creation of DHS in 2003, Ms. Cogswell served as the Chief Strategist for the DHS US-VISIT Program and as the Director for Immigration Services Modernization at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Ms. Cogswell's background prior to the creation of DHS was with the former Immigration and Naturalization Service. Ms. Cogswell is an attorney, however, unlike most attorneys, Ms. Cogswell has spent her entire government career in program management and operational activities, rather than practicing law.

Ms. Cogswell received her J.D. from the College of William and Mary and is a member of the Virginia State Bar. Ms. Cogswell received her B.A. in Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. She was appointed to the Senior Executive Service in 2007.